Monday, May 26, 2008

IM Andranik Matikozyan and GM Melikset Khachiyan tied for first in the Memorial Day Classic with 5-1. Khachiyan took the trophy on tiebreak. (See photo, in which Khachiyan (r) seizes the trophy from his rival.)

Taking clear third with 4 1/2 - 1/2 was expert Craig Faber. Faber's excellent result was the story of the tournament, as he upset IMs Taylor and Peters and drew with Matikozyan, losing only to Khachiyan.

In other action, Eric Zhang topped the Premier (U2000) section with 5-1, Jerry Yee scored 5 1/2 - 1/2 in the Amateur (U1800), and Danny Machuca and Hector Valdez tied in the Reserve (U1600). Side events saw Cau Duong Le and Prospero Buenavista tie with 4-1 in the 22-player Action, while William Pennucci (who played in the Action simultaneously!) took first place in the Hexes. Complete standings may be found here.

Sunday, May 25, 2008

The second day of the tournament saw the two-day players join the fray, bringing the total attendance to 106. In the three-day, IM Tim Taylor lost to expert Craig Faber, setting up the first-board encounter between Faber and GM Melikset Khachiyan (see photo). Also on Sunday was the 38-player Scholastic, in which Sean Manross scored 5-0 in the Open, while Ishan Bose-Pine took the Reserve on tiebreak with 4-1. Standings for all sections may be found here.

Saturday, May 24, 2008

Ninety-three players have registered so far, with entries still open for the two-day schedule. In the three-day schedule, IMs Jack Peters and Tim Taylor lead the pack, but will face stiff competition tomorrow when GM Melikset Khachiyan and IM Andranik Matikozyan join the fray. Round-by-round standings will be available throughout the tournament here.

Saturday, May 17, 2008

Though he pioneered many ideas in advance of his time, Chigorin was best known in his own era as a fierce attacker. Here he makes good use of one of his favorite weapons, the Evans Gambit, in which White sacrifices a flank pawn—which may become of importance in the endgame—for rapid development and a strong pawn center.

Chigorin – PollockNew York, 1889C51 EVANS GAMBIT

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bc4 Bc5 4. b4 Bxb4 5. c3 Bc5

Inaccurate. The most reliable answer to the Evans is 5. ... Ba5 6. d4 exd4 7. 0-0, and now not the greedy 7. ... dxc3 (the “Compromised Defense”) but rather development with 7. ... Nge78. cxd4 d5.

6. 0-0 d6 7. d4 exd4 8.cxd4 Bb6 9. Nc3 Na5

At the time a popular defense in the “Normal Position” of the Evans. It eventually became clear that, while eliminating the Bc4 was desirable in principle, Black in his undeveloped state could not afford the time lost.

Black has eliminated the intrusive Knight at e6, but the pawn that replaces it is at least as annoying. Instead, 26. … Qxe6 27. Qh5+ Ng6 28. f5 gives Black several pawns for the piece, but his King remains unsafe. He should have tried 23. ... Nf8.

27.Qg4 Ng6 28. Nf5 Qc7 29. e7 Kf7 30. Rad1 Qc5+ 31. Kh1 Rc6

(Diagram)

32. e5

Breakthrough! With all the Black pieces tied down—the Knight must shield the g7 pawn, and the Queen and Rook are tied to the defense of the d6 pawn—White opens lines to the Black King.

32. ... fxe5

No better was 32. ... dxe5, in view of 33.Rd8 (threatening 34. e8Q+) Nxe7 34. Qxg7+ Ke6 35. Nxe7, and there is no good defense to 36. f4-f5 mate.

Sunday, May 4, 2008

Alekhine considered this game a good example of his individual style, as Queenside maneuvers divert the Black pieces, setting the stage for a surprising mating attack with threats on both sides of the board.